Found: A Giant Slug the Size of a Cat

What a MASSIVE SLUG! I still can't believe how big it was!
WATCH HERE -> https://t.co/vpCbyoRXfPpic.twitter.com/eL01MrWPqZ

— COYOTE PETERSON (@COYOTEPETERSON) August 31, 2016

 Sometimes, if you go looking for a giant slug, you find one.

Coyote Peterson, who hosts an exploration show called Brave Wilderness, took his crew to the tidal pools of the California coast in search of the most fantastic sea life they could find. For much of the day, all they had seen were crabs. But then they found what they were looking for, a California black sea hare—the largest of any species of sea slug.

It was, in fact, giant.

These guys are herbivorous sea slugs that grow giant on a diet of seaweed. They’re called “hares” because of the two ear-like protrusions that grow out of their heads.

This sea hare is around the length of a Peterson's forearm—he says about 2 feet, when fully stretched out. It's on the larger side, for a giant sea slug, but still much shorter than the longest one ever measured. That one grew to be more than three feet long. Which is a lot of slug.

Every day, we highlight one newly found object, curiosity or wonder. Discover something amazing? Tell us about it! Send your finds to sarah.laskow@atlasobscura.com.